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Trade talks and free-agent signings are at a fever pitch during this MLB offseason, and the hype for MLB 15 The Show is gaining serious steam as well. On Saturday, the debut sizzle trailer for the game was released at the PlayStation Experience in Las Vegas. 

The event was put together to celebrate 20 years of the PlayStation brand. That celebration wouldn’t have been complete without serious representation from Sony’s monster baseball hit series MLB The Show. Here’s the latest trailer featuring cover athlete Yasiel Puig of the Los Angeles Dodgers:

As you may have seen from the tail end of the trailer, the release date is set for March 31, 2015.

For hardcore virtual baseball fans, that day probably seems like an eternity away, but most still have MLB 14 The Show to tide them over until then. Last season’s debut on the PS4 went pretty smoothly. It generated a Metacritic score of 83, and I rated it an 8.8 overall.

The fact that saves will carry over from MLB 14 The Show to MLB 15 only makes longtime and new fans more committed to the series. What’s new and in store for fans this time around?

Based on information that was revealed via Amazon.com, here are the new features up to this point:

• Licensed Equipment: For the first time ever, partnerships from various brands will bring accurate bats, gloves, cleats and batting gloves to the game.
• Year-to-Year Saves: Users who purchased MLB 14 The Show will be able to continue their Franchise and Road to the Show progress in MLB 15 The Show.
• Universal Rewards: Simply playing the game earns Stubs that can be spent on licensed equipment, Road to The Show improvements and virtual baseball cards.
• Legends: We’re introducing 30 Iconic MLB Alumni into our virtual player card pool, 1 representative for each team. These players span every historic baseball era of the last 70 years.
• Major Graphical Improvements: Visually, the introduction of real-time seasonal sun and shadows, revamped night lighting and enhanced player personality help make MLB 15 The Show the most authentic baseball experience yet (PS4 Only).

The licensed equipment can be seen in the trailer and will be a selling point for gamers who are sticklers for details in presentation.

The use of legends is also compelling. Obviously, the reveal of the legends included or the unlockables in the game is going to be a major deal. Theoretically, it would be cool to have access to players like Ken Griffey Jr., Frank Thomas, Babe Ruth and Barry Bonds. 

The exact legends haven’t been revealed yet, but one can only hope for a star-studded cast of guys.

One wish I’m still holding on to is the hope that the game includes a Create a Ballpark feature. At the PlayStation Experience, I spoke to community manager Ramone Russell about this concept. He was noncommittal about it making it into this year’s game, but it is something that appears to be on the developer’s radar. 

We’ll keep our fingers crossed for Create a Ballpark, and hopefully this year’s game will be everything last year’s release was and more.

Follow Brian Mazique aka FranchisePlay, the Sports Video Game Journalist

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Cincinnati Reds star Brandon Phillips is an entertainer. Whether its playing a Gold Glove-caliber second base, smacking 18 home runs or flying around the basepaths, BP knows how to have fun.

I caught up with him at an MLB 14 The Show event on Tuesday in Scottsdale, Ariz. We discussed the game, the sport and a host of other things.

Cincinnati Reds Talk captured this cool image from Phillips’ Instagram just before our interview:

We all got an opportunity to play the game a bit. Both the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 versions look awesome. In fact, the build of the PS4 version we played was still updating. It looked even better on Wednesday than it did on Tuesday.

Baseball gamers are anxiously awaiting its full release. The PS3 version drops on April 1, and the PS4 version will be available on May 6.

BP wants everyone to know he’s a force in the game. I promised him I’d draft him onto my Chicago Cubs team during my fantasy season on the game.

It shouldn’t be a bad move, considering he hit .261 with 18 home runs and 103 RBI in 2013. It was the fourth consecutive season he hit 18 homers.

Phillips needs just 37 home runs to join some elite company at his position. If he hits that mark, he’ll become just the 11th player to hit 200 homers as a second baseman.

As of now, there’s only nine, but the Seattle Mariners‘ Robinson Cano needs just four to join the 200 club for second basemen. It seems a safe bet he’ll reach that number within the first two months of the season—at least.

Believe it or not, Phillips has been in the league for 12 years. He’s played his entire career in the state of Ohio, having spent the first four seasons in the Cleveland Indians organization.

As a veteran, I picked Phillips’ brain about some of the up-and-coming second basemen in the league, as well as gathered his thoughts on the Los Angeles Angels‘ Mike Trout, arguably the best player in the majors today.

Take a look at the interview and keep an eye out for more information on the release of MLB 14 The Show.

Follow me. I like sports and video games…a lot.

@BMaziqueFPBR

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There are several great additions to MLB 13 The Show other than the new Postseason Mode.

This game is the latest installment in one of the most successful sports video game franchises around today. The 2012 iteration was quite impressive with its graphics and overall gameplay. It upped the ante, raising the standard for future video game in the genre.

For the most part, that does become an issue. There is not a huge leap in the animation, the realism was already top-notch and most modes remain the same.

Those who already own MLB 12: The Show will be looking for a reason to buy the latest version besides just updated rosters. Fortunately, the postseason mode provides just that.

As good as these games have been, though, it is tough to play a baseball franchise. While the Madden series replicates football with 16 games a year plus the playoffs, the major leagues feature 162 games.

Unless you literally have nothing else to do with your life, you are most likely not going through an entire season while playing every game. In all likelihood, you are simulating most games and hoping you are a good enough general manager to get your team into the playoffs.

Even the Road to the Show mode is often too drawn out for an average person to keep interest.

However, the Postseason brings the shortened time frame to those who love baseball.

With this feature, you can customize the 10 teams that will be involved in the playoffs. This means even a fan of the Pittsburgh Pirates can feel what it is like to play in October.

FranchisePlay’s Brian Mazique provides a look into the presentation of the Postseason Mode in this video:

Gamers can now spend their time playing fewer games with a heightened intensity. While many of the features from franchise mode do not carry over, it still has the feel of your own team competing for a World Series.

Additionally, the mode features a different presentation from the regular season. The crowd is louder, the broadcast is more intense and even the announcers seem to be involved in the action.

It truly captures the essence of October baseball and puts it into a video game.

Sports video games often have to find a perfect mixture of fun gameplay and a realistic experience. The overall game does a decent job of this, but the postseason mode completely nails it.

If you were on the fence about whether to buy the new game, this added feature should help make your choice a bit easier.

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I would personally love to see a Pittsburgh Pirates player on the cover of MLB 13 the Show. With the announcement that Andrew McCutchen is one of the candidates for the game’s cover vote, that thought may actually come to fruition.

The Player’s Choice for NL Outstanding Player @thecutch22 is now also a choice for the MLB 13 cover. mlb.com/covervote #MLB13Cutch

— MLBTheShow (@MLBTheShow) December 18, 2012

McCutchen is the third star to learn his name is in the running for the honor. Needless to say, he’d be the first Pittsburgh Pirates player ever on the cover of the MLB the Show series—or any other series for that matter.

Despite the team’s history of futility, McCutchen deserves consideration. If the Pirates had made the playoffs, he would have had a great shot at winning MVP.

He hit .327 with 31 home runs, 96 RBI and 20 stolen bases. Those numbers landed him third in the NL MVP voting, but local radio stations and news media are hoping to see their star finish first in this voting process.

Joe Kapp, the producer of Pittsburgh’s 93.7 The Fan took to Twitter to start McCutchen‘s campaign:

Andrew McCutchen Needs Your VOTE For Video Game Cover #fanmorningshow @937thefan « CBS Pittsburgh cbsloc.al/RCtH9u

— Joe Kapp (@937Catfish) December 18, 2012

McCutchen joins the New York Yankees‘ C.C. Sabathia and the Washington Nationals‘ Bryce Harper as players that are in the running for the honor. Sabathia would be the first pitcher ever to appear on the cover and Harper would be the youngest player to ever appear.

If any of the three known candidates are chosen, there is some history to be made. Per MLB.com, there is at least one more candidate to be named later. Miguel Cabrera and/or Mike Trout would make sense, but that’s just me talking.

The voting begins on January 7, and the game releases on March 5, 2013. Stay tuned for more information on the next candidate for the MLB 13 the Show cover, and more information about the game.

With a cancellation of the MLB 2K series looming per Kotaku.com, this may very well be the only virtual ball game available. 

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